Exiled Afghan sprinter Kimia Yousofi is heading to Paris to represent the women and girls who have ‘lost their dreams’
For the better part of a month, Kimia Yousofi could not tell a soul that she was going to her third Olympics. As she did in Tokyo, she will represent the voiceless of her home country.
As athletes around Australia and the world celebrate selection for the Paris Olympics, spare a thought for Afghan sprinter Kimia Yousofi.
The Sydney-based Yousofi has, for the better part of a month, been keeping her inclusion in the Afghanistan team quiet for fear of alerting the Taliban.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced Afghanistan’s six-strong team, all living in exile, without identifying any athletes by name.
Imagine being chosen for the Olympics and not being able to tell the world about it.
To not be able to thank those who got you there, not be able to revel in the pride of those who love you. To not be able to instantaneously get the recognition so hard worked for or the accolades so richly deserved for any athlete.
Sadly that has been Kimia’s world since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan just under three years ago.
When CODE Sports previously spoke with Kimia in November 2022 she shed tears. There were questions she could not answer for fear of recriminations against her brothers. She did not want their whereabouts published.
Those sorts of anxieties are completely foreign to the members of the Australian team but are part of everyday life for Kimia.
But Kimia, Afghanistan’s flag bearer at Tokyo, is ready to share her exciting news and wants to “show to the world what Afghan girls can do, again”.
THE TEAM IN EXILE
Three weeks ago, Kimia was included in Afghanistan’s six-athlete team for the Paris Olympics.
News of Kimia’s call-up for her third Olympics was broken to her by coach John Quinn in front of a small training group at Sydney Olympic Park. She and her training partners were sworn to secrecy.
Afghanistan’s Paris Olympics team is composed of three men and three women. The men are competing in athletics, judo and swimming. The women in athletics and cycling.
The Secretary General of the Afghan team is Dr Mohammad Yonus Popalzay. He gave CODE the green light for Kimia’s name to be published in this story.
He has also been living in exile, in France, since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in August 2021.
Since the change in power, women and girls in Afghanistan have not been allowed to play sport or attend high school.
Yousofi has declared they are the people she will run for in Paris.
“I am representing the hopes and dreams of Afghan women and girls,” Kimia told CODE.
“They lost their dreams. They aren’t allowed to do anything and I am representing them now.”
THE LIFE-CHANGING NIGHT IN TOKYO
As the flag bearer in Tokyo, Kimia became a prime target for the Taliban. She also drew their attention by wearing the colourful traditional costume during the opening ceremony which they frown upon.
The Tokyo Olympics gave the globe a much-needed morale boost amid the Covid pandemic. But soon after the Games finished, images of desperate thousands crowding Kabul Airport in fear for their lives were beamed around the world.
They brought back memories of the fall of Saigon in 1975 when the US exited another conflict.
The Taliban takeover meant Kimia and more than 30 athletes, coaches and officials were unable to return home.
With the assistance of the IOC, Iran was the first port of call for Kimia and her family. In August 2022 they arrived in Sydney along with 28 Afghan athletes’ officials and family members.
“I started my life again with my family,” Kimia said, having started to learn English at TAFE after being unable to speak a word of the language when she arrived in Australia.
“The Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) and the Australian government helped me so much.
“I’m so excited about the Games, but at the same time it’s a big responsibility representing Afghanistan and the women of Afghanistan. We can show to the world what Afghan girls can do, again.”
THE CATHY-LIKE INSPIRATION TO A NATION
Also travelling to Paris will be Kimia’s coach John Quinn. Quinn has a long and successful history in athletics and high performance in the AFL (Essendon and GWS). He was the Australian relay coach at the Sydney Olympics, where he worked with Cathy Freeman.
While Cathy and Kimia’s profile and scale of achievements are different, Quinn can see parallels with what they mean to their respective countries.
“Kimia is the Cathy Freeman of Afghanistan,” Quinn told CODE.
“Cathy’s goal was to win gold for her country and represent her people, Kimia’s is to represent freedom for all the girls and women in Afghanistan who can’t play sport.
“Her goal is representing the people of Afghanistan and showing them they can be there on the biggest stage.”
Quinn will also be coaching the Olympic Refugee team that he believes, along with Kimia, embody what gives the Games their true meaning.
“This isn’t about fame and fortune, it’s about something bigger,” Quinn said.
“It’s about hope, persistence and optimism. It’s about the Olympic spirit. Kimia represents the Olympic spirit, that’s why it’s so important what she is doing.”
Kimia will run for Afghanistan but Quinn says Australians should embrace what she is doing and our role in her being able to run in Paris.
“People in Australia should be proud we have been part of what Kimia is doing,” Quinn said.
“She doesn’t represent Australia but she represents what Australia allows you to be. We take freedom for granted and we shouldn’t. That is what Kimia is showing us.”
The IOC, the AOC and the Australian government (Prime Minister Scott Morrison at the time) played key roles in repatriating Kimia and 28 other Olympic athletes, officials and families to Australia.
The IOC has had its fair share of scandals over the years but deserve credit where it is due.
Only athletes in exile will be representing Afghanistan at the Paris Olympics. It will be a gender-balanced team, as per the IOC’s wish.
The same goes for coaches, physios, hangers-on and politicians. The Olympic governing body simply doesn’t recognise or deal with the Taliban on any level.
“No representative of the de facto authorities/Taliban government will be accredited for these Games,” an IOC spokesperson said.
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This is very different from the ICC (International Cricket Council), which celebrated the Afghanistan’s men’s team winning through to last week’s T20 World Cup semi-final as the nation’s women’s team watched on from Australia. In exile.
The formerly contracted women’s team have written to the ICC searching for a solution to their current situation.
“They want to start an Afghanistan refugee team and be afforded the opportunity to represent and inspire their country like the men,” former Cricket Australia board member and Australian player Mel Jones wrote this week.
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